City Life Starter

Written by Scott Fiddler

The Word

And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.

Acts 8:1–3

Reflection

This passage of Scripture records the first widespread persecution of the church as a whole in Jerusalem. It would not be the last. As the gospel spread, persecution followed. 

Initially, persecution came mostly from the Jews, first in Jerusalem, and then the cities throughout Asia Minor where Paul preached. In the beginning, the Romans saw Christianity as merely another Jewish sect. 

Yet, despite persecution from the Jews, Christianity grew. And as it grew, it appeared on the Roman radar.

In 64 A.D., Emperor Nero initiated the first Roman-instigated persecution against the Christians after the Great Fire of Rome, falsely accusing Christians of causing the fire. While the persecution was generally limited to Christians living in Rome, it included Nero tying Christians to stakes on his palace grounds and setting them on fire to light his garden parties. 

But the church continued.

In the mid-90s A.D., Emperor Domitian rekindled the persecution against the church. This time the focus was on arresting and torturing prominent Christians. This is when the Apostle John was arrested and exiled to the island of Patmos. 

Still, the church survived.

There was the persecution in 177 A.D. during the reign of Marcus Aurelius, which occurred in Vienne and Lyons in Gaul. This was followed by the persecution in North Africa at the end of the second and beginning of the third century and then by the empire-wide persecution in the mid-third century under Emperor Decius, who required every citizen to sacrifice to the Roman gods and obtain a certificate proving they had done so.

The church overcame.

In 303 A.D., Emperor Diocletian initiated what would become known as the Great Persecution. It would last eight years and was implemented throughout the Roman Empire. It started with the destruction of church buildings, burning of copies of Scripture, confiscating church property, removing Christians from public office, and prohibiting Christian worship and assemblies. 

The church did not give in.

Diocletian then ordered the arrest and imprisonment of Christian leaders (bishops, elders, deacons). Next, he ordered that the imprisoned clergy be given the option of sacrificing to the Roman gods or being executed. He apparently believed that if he eliminated the leadership, like most organizations, the church would fail. 

It did not.

When that didn’t work, Diocletian extended the persecution to every Christian in the empire, forcing them to sacrifice to the Roman gods or face imprisonment, torture, and death. 

The church again refused to fold.

Persecution is not just a historical fact but a present reality. Today, widespread persecution of the church continues in places like North Korea, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Somalia, Iran, China, and Myanmar. 

Still, the church not only survives but continues to grow.

Application

The gospel is hardy seed. 

This hardy seed survives in prosperity and poverty, in peace and persecution, and in seasons of favor and suffering. 

But the seed doesn’t plant itself. It requires those who are willing to sow on good soil, hard soil, rocky soil, and among the thorns, because we don’t know where it will take hold and grow. We just know it is good seed.

Prayer

Lord, help me to be a persistent sower of the seed of the gospel. Amen.